Plants of the Week

Hoslundia opposita

Common names: orange bird berry, bird gooseberry (Eng.); Uyaweyawe (Zulu)

Family: Lamiaceae

This hardy garden plant bears brightly coloured, tasty edible fruits and is an excellent subject for container gardening, which is a useful way to make...

11 / 07 / 2005 | T Mukoma | Lowveld NBG

Aloe mitriformis

Common names: mitre aloe (Eng.); krans aalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

There are not many aloes from the Cape that flower during summer, hence those that do are more sought after. Those of you who love gardening with bright...

11 / 07 / 2005 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Freylinia densiflora

Common names: Langeberg bell-bush, common bell-bush (Eng.); Langebergseklokkiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Blue-green foliage and subtly coloured flowers are attractive features of this widespread bell-bush....

04 / 07 / 2005 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Becium obovatum

See Ocimum obovatum...

04 / 07 / 2005 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dimorphotheca jucunda

Common names: trailing pink daisy, trailing mauve daisy (Eng.); bergbietou, bloubietou (Afr.); umasigcolo nkonekazi, u-Mesigcolo-nkonekazi (Zulu) (= Osteospermum ju

Family: Asteraceae

A mass of Dimorphotheca jucunda plants with their striking purple 'flowers' could create an illusion of a deep, dark pool with many hidden...

04 / 07 / 2005 | Paul Herman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ocimum obovatum

Common names: cat's whiskers ( Eng. ); katsnor (Afr.); Idada, Iziba, Ufukuzela, Umathanjane (Zulu)

Family: Lamiaceae

Erect and sometimes spreading, low-growing perennial herb, this plant is an excellent link between lawn and a shrubby border. It is a good candidate for...

04 / 07 / 2005 | T Mukoma | Lowveld NBG

Wurmbea stricta

Common names: vleiblommetjie (Afr.)

Family: Colchicaceae

Scantily known in cultivation, the starry pink-and-white flowers of this easily grown cormous plant really deserve a place in containers, shallow garden...

27 / 06 / 2005 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ochna pulchra

Common names: peeling plane, peeling-bark ochna (Eng.); lekkerbreek (Afr.); monyelewyele (Tswana); monamane, mopha (Northern Sotho); musuma, murambo, tshithothonya

Family: Ochnaceae

This species is better known by its Afrikaans name, lekkerbreek. This is most probably one of South Africa 's most beautiful trees, but also one of...

27 / 06 / 2005 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG

Dierama reynoldsii

Common names: This species does not appear to have a common name of its own, but the genus Dierama is known as hairbells, fairybells, wandflowers; grasklokkies (Afr

Family: Iridaceae

Just imagine the impact of a 'bulb' with flowers the colour of red wine (a young Shiraz , in particular), arising from bracts like the silver stem...

27 / 06 / 2005 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Faidherbia albida

Common names: ana tree (Eng.); anaboom (Afr.); mogabo (Sepedi); mokosho (Setswana); umHlalankwazi (IsiZulu); muhoto (Venda)

Family: Fabaceae

This relatively drought-resistant tree makes an interesting specimen if planted in a park. It can survive occasional frost (up to 5 days per year)....

20 / 06 / 2005 | Joseph Aobakwe Difoloko | Pretoria NBG

Cassine peragua

Common names: Cape saffron, bastard saffron, false saffron, bastard saffronwood (Eng.); bastersaffraan, lepelhout (Afr.); iKhukhuzi (Xhosa); umKhukhuze, umBofanyamo

Family: Celastraceae

Cassine peragua is a medium-sized tree suitable for suburban gardens, with fragrant flowers and decorative, bird-attracting fruits, but its most attractive...

20 / 06 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Acridocarpus natalitus

Common names: moth-fruit, the binder (Eng.); motvrug (Afr.); umabophe, umabophawentaba, umabopha and ihlalanyosi (isiZulu)

Family: Malpighiaceae

Its beautiful flowers and fruit make this evergreen shrub or small tree an appealing garden subject which should be in most gardens in the warmer and coastal...

20 / 06 / 2005 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Morella cordifolia

Common names: wax berry, candle berry (Eng.); wasbessie, wasbessiebos, wasbossie, glashout (Afr.); ilethi (Zulu)

Family: Myricaceae

The wax berry is an interesting addition to the garden, ideal for coastal and/or sandy gardens, and if you like plants with a long history of use to mankind...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gardenia cornuta

Common names: Tonga gardenia, Natal gardenia, horned gardenia (Eng.); wilde-appel, Tongakatjiepiering, Natalkatjiepiering (Afr.); umhlahle, unomphumela, umvalasangw

Family: Rubiaceae

The spectacular, large white and yellow flowers with their sweet scent, attracts passersby from a distance to this small, much-branched tree. The smooth,...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Senegalia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha

Common names: white-stem thorn (Eng.); witdoring (Afr.); mooka, mpho-kamagwa (Northern Sotho); xigatlu, nkowankowa (Tswana)?; tshikwalo (Venda); umnga (Xhosa)

Family: Fabaceae

This is one of the most attractive acacias in Africa. It often has one stem with branching commencing fairly high up, and a neat flattish crown. It has...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Mimusops zeyheri

Common names: Transvaal red milkwood (Eng.); moepel (Afr.); mmupudu (Northern Sotho); umpushane (Zulu); nhlantswa (Tsonga); mubululu (Venda)

Family: Sapotaceae

The Transvaal red milkwood has gained its popularity with people, birds as well as monkeys and baboons through its tasty fruit which are sweet and high...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Lagenaria siceraria

Common names: bottle gourd, calabash (Eng.); kalbas (Afr.); moraka (North Sotho); segwana (Tswana); iselwa (Xhosa, Zulu)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

...

06 / 06 / 2005 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Acmadenia obtusata

Common names: dune porcelain flower ( Eng. ); duineboegoe, steekboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Acamadenia obtusata forms a variable shrub, displaying floriferous pink flowers with aromatic foliage. Characteristic of the citrus family are oil...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gasteria acinacifolia

Common names: coast ox-tongue (Eng.); kus-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria acinacifolia is the largest of all Gasteria species, strictly coastal and ideal for coastal gardens. It is at once recognized by its large rosette...

30 / 05 / 2005 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cynoglossum hispidum

Common names: hound's tongue (Eng.); beestongblaar, knoppiesklitsbossie, ossetongblaar (Afr.); bohomenyana (Southern Sotho)

Family: Boraginaceae

This is a biennial or perennial herb with small, drooping, purplish red flowers. It is characterized by loosely branched inflorescences and fruits...

30 / 05 / 2005 | Elizabeth Retief | National Herbarium Pretoria

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